When building a new home, more and more people are looking for ways of saving energy. By constructing an energy efficient home, you will find that you enjoy all the normal things associated with a new home while not spending so much on monthly utility bills. Today, we see so many exciting new technologies and energy savings ideas that you can design an amazing home that will improve comfort while providing significant heating and cooling costs.
For starters, an energy efficient home needs to be well constructed. This includes a tightly sealed thermal envelope, properly sized, controlled ventilation, energy efficient appliances, doors, and windows, and systems for heating and cooling high efficiency. While you might need to make more of a financial investment upfront, the cost would quickly be recouped. With thermal envelopes, this means the house would be designed to protect any living area from the outdoor elements such as roof assemblies, insulation, windows, caulking, and so on.
Then for insulation, you want to choose better and higher rated insulation from the standard choice. In addition, slabs and foundation walls should also be insulation. Water condensation can be a huge problem for a home’s structure regardless of climate. Vapor retarder is material or an element can be used to help stop movement of water vapor while air retarder inhibits airflow going in and out of the envelope.
Weather stripping and caulking help to seal air leaks, which means reducing energy loss. The result means lower utility costs, sometimes as much as 50%. You would also look at controlled ventilation. Energy efficiency homes are designed with tight seals. Because of this, proper ventilation is vital. By using things such as wall vents along with exhaust fans, you can accomplish the right balance of ventilation.
Finally, if you are building a new home, you will have the opportunity to purchase new appliances and fixtures such as furnace, air conditioning, and hot water heater. Always look for those with the “Energy Star” label, which will provide high functionality while reducing the cost of operation dramatically.